[p_xavier]

For those with insight on the subject, is Caisse taking over transit planning not essentially the same idea as the Japanese conglomerates which took over subway planning in post-war Tokyo to unbelievably great success?

Am I oversimplifying the situation? Where are the pain points where that comparison falls apart?

The CDPQi is still public. But yeah, they are trying to emulate the Hong Kong model.

 

[NoahB]

Three possible voices have been proposed for the REM announcements and are open for votes.

Check them out and vote on this link:

Caroline Dhavernas will be the voice of the REM

rem.info

 

[felix123]

Three possible voices have been proposed for the REM announcements and are open for votes.

Check them out and vote on this link:

Caroline Dhavernas will be the voice of the REM

rem.info

I would've voted for the guy who does the Chicago L announcements.
I chose voice B in any case.

 

[robmausser]

I used to love the dude who did the TTC announcements. He had a very distinctively Canadian voice.

 

[superelevation]

Sure, but at least stuff is actually happening now. Before the REM, the last system expansion was the Laval extension back in 07, and that was just 3 stops. Before that it was the blue line in the late 80s. There have been new lines added to Exo, I'll grant them that, but even then Exo is quite underwhelming as a whole.

I would rather have transit expansion that is paid for by people who want a RoI and don't take into account future sustainability, over absolutely nothing at all.

But it's also a public sector pension fund, not exactly private and of course they care about sustainability!

It's not that simple. The first REM line is actually great, it connects important hubs with populous suburbs and the airport. It makes sense to build it and it will probably improve integration and connectivity within the city. It also uses corridors that already existed. In many ways, planning for this was already done by the time the CDPQ came along (in the sense that the A10 corridor was already identified as a rapid transit corridor, the Deux-Montagne line was already deemed an important line for improvements, service to the airport was already being considered, the Mont-Royal tunnel has been a candidate for subway service since the 50s, etc). Even then, the government had to force the Caisse to add connections to McGill and Edouard-Montpetit metro stations.

The next phases of REM are another story. The government is giving la Caisse the mandate to plan for the next transit projects, and that's the scary part. They don't care about many parameters important to proper transit planning (and it's okay, their job is to get financial returns). Look at the Taschereau boulevard tramway project. The government simply took it off the hands of ARTM and the City of Longueuil to give it to the Caisse...

Having the Caisse invest in transit it deems profitable is fine, but they should not be in charge of planning. That's precisely why ARTM was created, and that's what they were in the process of doing until the government came in and took it all away, not even involving them in the REM de l'Est plan...

The trams are slow and expensive to operate - a recipe for poor ridership because expensive operations means less service.

 

[sacred]

But it's also a public sector pension fund, not exactly private and of course they care about sustainability!

The trams are slow and expensive to operate - a recipe for poor ridership because expensive operations means less service.

CPP owns the 407. You don't see them doing much other than looking after their investment.

 

[Northern Light]

Apparently, the REM construction has led to serious, adverse consequences for a protected wetland.

Protected Montreal wetland dries up after REM tunneling work

MONTREAL - Part of the wetland area north of the Montreal-Trudeau Airport has dried up in recent weeks. Environmentalists say the Herons’ marsh, which the REM tunnel was supposed to protect, emptied because of a hole created by the tunnel boring machine.

www.thestar.com

 

[drum118]

July 21
The last time I saw the Montpellier Station was in 2018 and it doesn't look the same today. Even the parking lot is gone. Don't see any elevators for the station and could be out of site at this time.

Edit
This is by the Costco Store that supposed to be running next year.

 

[Xav]

The trams are slow and expensive to operate - a recipe for poor ridership because expensive operations means less service.

That's not my point, and that shouldn't be CDPQ's decision to make.

 

[p_xavier]

That's not my point, and that shouldn't be CDPQ's decision to make.

It was actually mandated by the government for their decision to make.

 

[drum118]

July 23
Was able to get some better shots of work along A40 and looks like stations in the boom dock area, but other will know better than me. Try to get a shot of the last station and carhouse, but trucks in the way. The carhouse are about 6 bays that will hold 2 trains from what I could see and could be wrong on it. This section is supposed to open late 2023 what I have read and could be wrong.

 

[chronicsurfer]

Just an interesting read. The three largest Canadian systems found a place in this article...

The Hidden Melodies of Subways Around the World​

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive...ir4UYXd6O3iom0qarQ10zRdBxnVEfQ&smid=url-share

 

[superelevation]

That's not my point, and that shouldn't be CDPQ's decision to make.

It is their decision to make, and it will likely lead to better transit outcomes (more riders).

 

[drum118]

The Réseau express métropolitain invites public aboard for first time​

 

[p_xavier]

Seems that there will be a station or two underground downtown for the REM B (de l'Est) line. A short tunnel to Gare Centrale. What I like the most of the proposal is that thereotically the REM could be extended further West, which would have been difficult with an aerial structure.

REM de l'Est | Un nouveau tunnel court à l’étude au centre-ville

Un nouveau scénario « alternatif » d’insertion du Réseau express métropolitain (REM) de l’Est au centre-ville de Montréal, qui comprend un court tunnel de 500 mètres, une arrière-gare ainsi qu’une ou deux stations souterraines, a été présenté par CDPQ Infra au cours des dernières semaines, a...

www.lapresse.ca